Look who stole my heart! Our old and dear friend Raggedy Ann. While I was out shopping I spotted this sweetie pie sitting on a shelf of the store near the door. One good hint to my son and the next morning she was mine and of course I don't want to hide her under the Christmas wrapping paper..=) ! Her body is stuffed with batting but her bottom is heavy (like mine..grin) with sawdust so she sits up all perky like. The delightful stacked farm animals is my Christmas gift from my dear friend "J". (the perfect gift...love it so much, I think I smiled the whole way home from her place) Oh what a tea party she gave us. I had a WONDERFUL time!!! These darling animals go perfectly with a crosstitch chart she is just finishing up and I have yet to start. Snapperville, here I come! The lamp is one we just bought recently, but I took a good look and here's how to make one. Get a rusted tin container..this one is about 5" on the bottom and 6" across the top. Saw off a piece of wood or a small tree trunk that will fit inside your container and glue it to the bottom of the container. It should be a few inchs shorter than the rim of the container. Buy an electric candle (JoAnn's had the small flicker candle for $3.00 recently). A short candle...about a 4 or 5" base. Glue the bottom of it to the top of the block of wood. Then put a pine candle ring around it and decorate. I think someone did make this one really, and its just charming. I love it =). I plan on changing the wreath part with the seasons. If you're here reading this, thanks for coming to see me. I've been so busy with shopping and wrapping gifts and laundry...my blogging time has had to be on the back burner. And, no apron yet. You know what I'm going to do now? Go take a nap! My batteries are drained and tonight we take my sister-in-law out for a Christmas supper. I've got my apron materials all washed up and ready to cut out. But after all that ironing I did this afternoon...whew! That apron will have to wait on me..again. As I think of Christmas Day soon to be here I want to wish each of you a Happy and Blessed Christmas !!!!

"Lord, teach me to silence my own heart that I may listen to the gentle movement of the Holy Spirit within me and sense the depths which are of God." Frankfort prayer, 16th century.

"Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him." St. Matthew 2:2

"O come, all ye faithful, joyful and triumphant, O come ye, O come ye to Bethlehem; Come and behold Him born the King of angels; O come let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord...........Yea, Lord we greet Thee, born this happy morning, Jesus, to Thee be all glory giv'n. Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, O come let us adore Him, Christ, the Lord." ~O Come, All Ye Faithful~